1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to modular upholstered furniture and more particularly relates to a modular or sectional upholstered sofa seating arrangement having a plurality of modular upholstered seating units in combination with one or more wedge-shaped modular furniture units that are positioned between the seating units wherein each of the wedge-shaped units provides multiple tables at differing elevations and of differing sizes for storing articles on the table surfaces and in hidden spaces under one or more of the table surfaces.
2. General Background
Sectional sofas and modular sofas typically include a number of separate seating units such as for example chairs, sofas, loveseats, recliners, and the like. The end seating unit usually has an arm at the end such as a recliner positioned at the end of the sectional or modular sofa. The interior seating areas can be without arms so as to form a continuous seating surface with adjacent modular units.
There have been numerous sectional sofas that include one or more table units as part of the sectional sofa. Some of these sectional sofa arrangements with tables have been the subject of patents.
An example of a modular sofa with tables can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 282,886 entitled "Combined Sectional Sofa and Multiple Table Unit" issued to David Williams. The Williams patent shows a combined sectional sofa and multiple table units wherein the seating units include chairs having arms, a flat upholstered seat area, and an upstanding rear sofa back that is upholstered. The Williams patent also shows entire sofa seating units having arms and multiple seat cushions as well as corresponding seat back portions. In the Williams patent, the multiple table members include end tables that are generally rectangular and wedge-shaped tables that have edge surfaces arranged ninety degrees with respect to one another.
Another sectional sofa with tables positioned between seating units is seen in the Friedman patent entitled "Combined Table and Sectional Sofa Unit". In the Friedman patent, some of the seating areas are chairs that do not have arms. The armless chairs are combined with recliners that have one arm so that the armless seating units and recliners form a continuous seating surface. A wedge-shaped table is positioned between armless chair seating units, the table having side edges that are approximately ninety degrees with respect to one another.
In the Lande, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 245,951 entitled "Combined Sectional Sofa and Multiple Table Unit", there is shown a plurality of seating units including a pair of seating units having arms, seat cushions and back portions and a pair of tables of a wedge configuration wherein the side edge portions of the tables form acute angles. An armless center chair is positioned between a pair of the wedge-shaped tables and upholstered seating units having arms are positioned on each side of a respective wedge-shaped table and opposite the armless chair unit.
In the Pohlheim et al., U.S. Pat. No. D 237,328 entitled "Combined Table and Seating Unit", there is seen a pair of chairs having arms on each side of each chair. The arms of adjacent chairs support a wedge-shaped table such that the top surface of the table is at the same elevation as the top surface of each of the arms of the respective chairs.
A combined sofa bed and table unit is seen in U.S. Pat. No. D 181,845 which shows a pair of spaced apart sofas positioned on opposite sides of a table that extends above the surface of the seat cushion of each sofa and below the top surface of the sofa back. The table is trapezoidally shaped, having opposed edge surfaces that form an acute angle with one another.
In the use of modular sofas, it is important that each of the users of the sofa have a good view of the focal point of a room such as the television set, picture window, fireplace, or the like. Further, it is important that a sectional sofa have an aesthetically pleasing look so that tables interfaced with the sofa seating units do not detract from the overall shape of the assembled modular sofa.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a modular sofa wherein table units provide storage space, and at multiple levels, together with a table which coordinates with the shape, structure and the look of the adjacent seating units.